Valve structure



April 12, 1932- G. A. lSNYDER 1,853,154

VALVE STRUCTURE Filed April 17, 1929 Z6 3/- n Y *75- l 1 Z ZZ Z 4INI/'EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 12, 1932 GEORGE.A. SNYDER, OF HOLLYWOOD; CALIFORNIA VALVESTRUCTURE Application ined April 17,

This invention relates to vplumbing equipment, and particularly pertainsto a valve structure;

l/Vash bowls are usually supplied with faucets for delivering hot andcold water to the bowl. These faucets are fitted with separate controlvalves for regulating the temperature y Such' an operation produces aconditionfof uncleanness and alack olf-sanitation which tends topropagate diseases. This is particularly true in connection with publicwash rooms and is also of consequence in connection with the wash bowlsof surgical operating rooms, where it is desirable tomanipulate thefaucets ofthe wash bowl without the necessity of touching the faucetswith septic hands, and while leaving the hands free for other duties. Y

yTt is the principal object of the present invention to provide valvestructures for controlling wash bowl faucets and the like7 whichstructures will not :require hand operation 30 and may beconvenientlyoperated by other partsof thelbody, such as forfexample, the knee,whereby the unwashed or washed hands will not be required to touch thehandles of the faucets, thus making it possible for the 5 hands tobefreely manipulated within the bowl or in rrunning water beneath thefaucet. `The present invention contemplates the provision of an outletspout in communica tion with hot and cold water supply pipes, the pipesbeing fitted with separate hot and cold water faucets and being providedwith operating means disposed beneath the wash bowl at a'remotepointfrom the faucets and f in a position. tobe lconvenientlymanipulated by the knees of the operator. Other means being provided toregulate the maximum at which the water may flow fromy tie outlet spout;y

The invention is illustrated by way of eX- 1929. Serial N0. 355,771.y

ample inV the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 isa view in sideelevation showing the application of the present inventionto a washbowl. n

Fig-2 is a view yin plan disclosing one arrangement of plumbing toembody the present invention and indicating the position of a wash bowlby dotted lines. v

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary view in front ele- 6G vation showing `onearrangement of the flow valves land the pressure valve.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates a wash bowl,here shownas being supported from awall. It will be understood that thepresent invention is not confined to application upon bowls of thistype, but that, pedestal bowls may also be used. v

This invention is more `particularly eon- 7o cerned with a faucet spout13, to which hot and cold water may be simultaneously deliv ered ascontrolled by separate valves. 14 and 15. In the installation shown inyFig..2 of the drawings, a hot water pipe 16 connects 75 with aT-'iitting 17. On one leg of this fittingle. cut-olf valve 18 is securedto complete- Y ly close off the supply of water from lthe bowl when itis desired to repair the same.

Another leg of the Tronnects with the pipe l I 19, which delivers waterto the control valve 14. This valve may be of any desired oonstruction,but is preferably ofthe self-closing type, and may operate when it isrotated in either direction. f

A pipe 20 connects the self-closingvalve 14 with a T 21. This Tisconnected with a pressure regulating valve 122 through which water maypass to the spout 13. The cold.

water pipe 23 is connectedwith a-T 24, simi- 9U larto the T17 previouslydescribed. This T is in communication with theself-closing cold water 15through a pipe 25. The oppof site side of the valve 15 is connected withthe T 21 by al section ofpipe 26.A It will be un- 95 derstood that whilethe valve structures 14,

15 and 22 are shown as separate units, that it may be found desirable toembody all of said valves in a unitary structure, thus eliminating thenecessityof` a number `of plumblli) ing fittings and the labor requiredto assemble them.

The pipes 16 and 23 communicate with upwardly extending hot and coldwater pipes 27 and 28, which establish connection between the source ofwater supply and the hot and cold water faucets 11 and 12. If desired,the separately operable hot and cold water faucets 11 and 12 may beeliminated and the spout 13 may be used to deliver hot or cold water tothe lbowl, or a mixture of the same.

Rotation of the valve members of valves 1% and 15 is effected by a leverarm 30 which is here shown as extending horizontally from beneath thewash bowl and as terminating in an operating knob 31.

It will be understood that the valve structures 14 and 15 are of thesame general selfclosing type, and it is to be understood that when theoperating arms are released, springs will canse the operating arm toswing to a neutral position, permittingthe valve member to rest upon itsseat and close the valve.

In the operation of the present invention the structures may beassembled as previously described. ll hen it is desired to obtain waterfrom spout 13, the operator may exert knee pressure to one side or theother to swingy the levers 430 horizontally in either direction from 'aneutral position, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In this eventthe valve members will be raised from their seats to permit a flow ofwater through the valve or valves which vhave been'operated. It will beevident that in this case the entire structure will act as a mixingvalve and that the temperature of the water drawn from the spout 13 willdepend upon the relative degrecs ofy opening of the hot and cold watervalves with relation to each other.

Attention is directed to the fact that the lever operating armsSOoperate independently of each other and are of considerable length,thus making it possible for the valves to be very easily controlledwithout great effort and without the possibility of opening the valvetoo rapidly, which in the case of hot water might result diast-rously.For this reason the device is especially adapted for use in public restrooms and the like, where it is operated by inexperienced persons.Practice will not be required to adjust the valve to a nicety in orderto draw water of a del sired temperature or to prevent an excessive.volume of water to be drawn with a resultant splash or runningjover ofthe bowl.

In order to control the maximum flow of waterfrom the spout 13 so thatsplashing will be prevented,A the valve 22 may be adjusted. By thearrangement here shown, it is possible for hot or cold water, or waterwith an intermediate temperature to be drawn from spout 13 without thenecessity of touching the valve operating mechanism with the hands, sothat in the event a person with soiled hands wishes to use the bowl, hemay immediately place them beneath the spout 13 and in the path of thestream of water flowing therefrom, or within the bowl to wash themwithout rendering the valve operating mechanism unclean, or unsanitary,and after having thoroughly washed his hands, may close the valveswithout being required to grasp a valve which has been previouslyrendered unclean or unsanitary.

It will thus be seen that the structure here disclosed provides thehighest degree of sanitation for those using the bowl and makes itpossible to manipulate the valves of the bowl while the hands are freeto be used for other purposes.

While I have shown the preferred form ot my invention as now known tome, it will be understood that various changes may be made in thecombination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled inthe art, without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:-

1. In combination with a wash bowl and a valved system to conduct waterto said bowl, valve operating means adapted to actuate certain of saidvalves, said valve operating means comprising levers in operatingrelation to certain of said valves and whose. free ends when swung to orfrom open position extend through a radius greater than a radius drawnfrom the medial vertical line of said bowl, said levers being directlyconnected with the valves they operate and arranged to swinghorizontally.v

2. In combination with a wash bowl and a valved control system toconduct water to said bowl, valve actuating means, said means consistingof levers in operating relation to said valves and extending forward ofsaid wash bowl, said levers being arranged to swing horizontally wherebylateral movement of said valves may be effected by the knees of `theoperator to open or close said valves.

3. In combination with a wash bowl and "f e a valved water controlsystem to deliver water to said bowl, valve actuating levers inoperating relation to said valves and extending the width ofL said bowland project-ing forward of the skirt of said bowl, said levers beingarranged to swing horizontally whereby the valves may be actuated by theknees of the operator.

' GEORGE A. SNYDER.

